Post pocket



June 14, 1932. H, ANDERSON 1,863,364

POST POCKET Filed Jan. 2'3, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 7INVEN'QI'OR ZMQ/ WQW Jug, W

June 14, 1932. H, T. ANDERSON 1,863,364

POST POCKET Filed Jan.- 23, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Patented June 14, 1932 UNITED STATES HARRY T. ANDERSON, OF BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA POST POCKET Application filed January 23, 1931.

This invention relates to post-receiving pockets for gondola freight cars, and more particularly to that type of post pocket which lies against the side of the car when not in 5 use.

In designing freight cars of the gondola type, it is necessary to provide means for increasin the height of the side walls so that the car may be used to haul differenttypes of freight. The ordinary way of increasing the height of the car is to provide pockets on the side walls, into which posts or stakes are driven, forming side boards for the car. The type of stake pockets most I commonly used heretofore project inwardly from the side wall of the car to which it is rigidly secured. Such pockets frequently become bent or broken by the material being loaded in the car, making it necessary to re pair or replace the pockets before they can be used.

Post pockets have been designed heretofore which were adapted to lie against the side .wall when not in use so that they would be out of the way of the material being loaded and, therefore, less liable to be damaged thereby. All of the pockets of this type known to me have proved unsatisfactory in use since it is necessary for the pockets to 31/ be manually lowered after the post has been removed and, as frequently happens, this lowering of the pocket is neglected, leaving the pockets projecting into the car and liable to damage during the next loading.

One object of this invention is to provide a post pocket for gondola cars which will automatically fall against the side of the car on the removal of the post.

Another object of this invention is to provide a post for gondola cars which will lie along the plane of the side wall of the car when not in use, and which can be easily and readily raised to its post-receiving position.

Another object of this invention is to provide a post pocket which is simple to manufacture, easy to attach to cars, rugged in construction and still have the minimum number of parts exposed to damage during loading.

These and other objects, which are readily apparent to those skilled in this particular Serial No. 510,677.

art, I attain by means of this invention, one embodiment of which is disclosed in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings; wherein Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved post pocket when in its post-receiving position,

F i 2 is a View in front elevation of the device shown in Figure 1,

Fig. 3 is a View partially in section taken on line IIII1I of Figure 1,

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the post-receiving member,

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the supporting member,

Fig. 6 is a top plan View of a modified form of the device, showing the device in its postreceiving position, i

Fig. 7 is a view in front elevation of the device shown in Fig. 6 and Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on line VIIIVH1 of Fig.

In the drawings, like reference characters refer to similar parts in the device.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the numeral 10 designates a fragmentary portion of the side wall of a gondola type freight car having brackets 11 and 12 riveted thereto. The brackets are provided with intermediate rounded portions 13 and 14 and terminate at the lower ends thereof in outwardly extending projections 15 and 16, the purpose of which will be hereinafter explained. Pivotally supported by the brackets is a post--re ceiving member 17 which is of U-shape and has the arms thereof provided with trunnions 18 and 19 which are journaled in the roundedportions 13 and 14 of the brackets. The base of the post-receiving member designated as 20, is provided with an extension 21 which is adapted to be crimped around the base, designated as 22, of a U-shaped member 23, so as to form a hinged joint between the two members. The arms of the member 23,, which is adapted to support the member 11' when in post-receiving position, terminate in outwardly extending flanged portions 24: and 25.

Normally, my post-receiving device lies adjacent the side wall of the car, as shown in the member 17.

the post-receiving member is limited by a lug dotted lines in Fig. 3. hen it is desired to increase the height of the side walls of the car, the member 17 is raised until it is in a post-receiving position. When in such position the member 17 extends at an angle from the side of the car and the base thereof is slightly below a horizontal. plane taken through the center of the trunnions. The post-receiving member is supported in this position by the ends 24: and of the supporting member 23 which are placed on the projections 15 and 16 on the brackets. The weight of the member 17 and the downward force caused by driving the post through the member 17 securely holds the ends of the supporting member on the projections of the brackets. I

hen it is desired to remove the post from the pockets, the driving up of the post raises The upward movement of 26 projecting from the trunnion 18 preventing the member from binding the post, s it is being removed. This limited upward movement of the member 17, however, is sufficient to disengage the ends is: and 25 o'- supporting member from the projections 15 and 16 on the brackets and, since the member 17 projects from the side wall at an angle thereto, the unseated ends of the supporting member 23 will swing outwardly. due togravity, and will remain clear of the projections on the brackets so that when the post is fully removed the post-receiving member and the supporting member will fall along the side of the car and be supported only by the trunnions journaled in the brackets.

In Figures 6, 7 and 8 I have illustrated a modified construction of the post pocket. In this modification, as described, the side wall 10 of the car is provided with brackets 30 and 31 which are riveted thereto, and which support a post-receiving pocket. Each of the A brackets is provided with an intermediate rounded portion 32 and terminates at its lower end in an outwardly extending projection 33. A post-receiving member 34. which is of U- shape. is pivotally supported by the brackets through outwardly extending trunnions 3:) and 36 formed on the ends of the arms of said member and journaled in the rounded portions of the brackets. The post-receiving member is maintained in post-receiving position by a U-shaped member 37, having the arms thereof terminating in outwardly e tending flanged portions 38 and 39 supported by the projections 33 on the brackets. The two members are pivotally secured together by an oval ring 40 which has a portion 41 extending upwardly therefrom above the member 34 when in its post-receiving position. When a car is equipped with post pockets embodying this modification and it is desired to increase the height of the car, the members 3st are raised until the ends 38 and 39 on the supporting member 37 can be positioned on the projections 33 extending from the brackets 30 and 31.

The oval ring lQ connecting the bases of the U-shaped members is of such shape that, when the device is in post-receiving position, the base of the member 34 is positioned over the base of the member 37 and the members are maintained in this position when the post is being driven through the U-shaped memher 3% by the projection 41 which bears against the side of the post and prevents the lower portion of the ring 40 from turning outwardly so as to disengage the arms of the supporting member from the projections on the brackets. The extension ll also prevents the member 34: from binding on the post when the same is being removed, but, as it permits some upward movement of the memher 8%, the arms of supporting member 37 are unseated from the projections 33 and, as in the previous modification, gravity swings the ends of the supporting member clear of the projections'and keeps them out of contact therewith, so that when the post is fully removed the device automatically falls against the side of the car.

It is readily apparent from the above description that I have designed a device for forming a pocket on a gondola car that is positive in operation and which is entirely automatic in its action and which lies snuglyagainst the side of the car when the posts have been removed out of the way of material being loaded into the car and is, therefore, less subject to damage and breakage than the ordinary type of post-receiving devices.

lVhile I have described my improved stake pocket as an accessory for gondola cars, it to be understood that the device may be used on anytype car, or vehicle in which such pockets are desirable. It is also understood that certain changes may be made therein by those skilled in this particular art without departing from the spirit of my invention and the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A post pocket for gondola freight cars comprising a post-receiving member pivotally secured to the side of said car, and means for supporting said member in. post-receiving position, said means being adapted to automatically release said member on removal of thepost and permit the same to fall against the side of the car.

2. A post pocket for freight cars comprising a post-receiving member pivotally mounted on the side of said car and means connected to said member at a point spaced from its mounting on the side wall for supporting said member and for causing the same to extend at an angle from the side of the car in post-receiving position, said means being arranged to automatically release said member on removal of the post and to permit the same to fall against the side of the car.

3. A collapsible post pocket for freight cars comprising brackets secured to the side wall of a car, a post-receiving member, pivotally supported in said brackets, a supporting member having a portion thereof pivotally connected to said postreceiving member, and means on the said brackets for sup porting said members in post-receiving position, said means, being automatic-ally released on removal of the post and permitting said post-receiving member and said supporting member to fall against the side of said car.

at. The combination in a post-receiving pocket for freight cars, of a plurality of brackets adapted to be secured to the side of a car, a post-receiving member pivotally secured in said brackets, a supporting member pivotally secured to said post-receiving member, and means onsaid brackets for engaging said supporting member when said post-receiving member is in its operative position, said supporting member automatically disengaging said means on removal of the post and permitting said post-receiving member to fall into inoperative position.

5. In a post pocket for freight cars of the gondola type, a U-shaped post-receiving member having the arms thereof pivotally connected to the side Wall of said car, and means for supporting the base of said U- shaped member so that the same Will extend at an angle from said side Wall in post-receiving position, said means being adapted to be automatically released on removal of the post so as to permit said member tofall against the side of the car. I

6. A collapsible post pocket for freight cars, comprising a U-shaped post-receiving member having the arms thereof pivotally connected to the side Wall of a car, a U-shaped supporting member, means for pivotally connecting the bases of said U-shaped members, and means for detachably supporting the arms of said second member on the side Wall of the car for placing said first mentioned member into postreceiving position, said members being adapted to lie against the side Wall When the arms of said second member are free from the supporting means.

7 The combination in a post pocket of a U-shaped member having the arms terminat ing in trunnions pivotally mounted on the side wall of a gondola car, a second U-shaped member, an extension on the base of said first U-shaped member adapted to be positioned around the base of the second U-shaped member for forming a hinge joint therebetween, flanged ends on the arms of said second member, means on the Wall of the car for detachably supporting the flanged ends on said second member, so as to cause said first mentioned memberto extend at an angle from the I of hinged to the base of the first mentioned 7 member, projections on the side of said car adapted to receive the arms of said second member for maintaining said first mentioned member in post-receiving position, said projections being arranged to automatically release said arms when the post-receiving member is raised so that said members will fall against the side of the car.

9. In a post pocket, a post-receiving member of U-shape having the ends thereof journaled to the side of a freight car, a second U-shaped member, means for hinging together the bases of said U-shaped members, and means for maintaining the said members in post-receiving position, said last mentioned means being adapted to be automatically re leased on removal of the post so as to permit the members to fall against the side of the car.

10. In a post pocket, aU-shaped post-receiving member havingthe ends thereof our naled on the side of a freight car, a second U-shaped member havingthe arms thereof terminating in outwardly extending flanges, an extension on the base of said first mentioned members adapted to be crimped around v the base of said second member so as to form a hinge joint therebetWe-en, and projections on the side of said car adapted to support saidflanged ends of said second member When said members are in post-receiving position.

11. In a post pocket, a post-receiving member having portions thereof journaled to the side of a freight car, a supporting member, means for hingedly connecting said members,

means for supporting said members in post-.

receiving position, and means on said hinge for guiding a post into said pocket and for preventing the hinge from turning.

12. In a post pocket,a U-shaped post-receiving member having the arms thereof journaled to the side of a freight car, a U- shaped supporting member, a member for hingedly joining the bases of said U-shaped members and having an extension thereon for preventing said members from turning When a post is being driven into said postreceiving member, and means for supportingthe arms of said second member so as to maintain said first mentioned member in post-receiving position, said means being adapted to automatically release said arms on removal of said. post so as to permit the membars to fall against the side ofsaid car.

13. In a post pocket, a U-shaped post-receiving member ha *ing the arms thereof journaled to the side of a freight car, a U- shaped supporting member, an extension on the base of said first mentioned member adapted to be crimped around the base of said second mentioned member so as to hingedly join the same together, means for supporting the arms of said supporting member when said members are raised to post-receivlng position, and means on said first mentioned member for limiting the upward movement thereof said su ortin means bein ada )ted to be automatically released when said postreceivlng member is raised by the removal of the post so as to permit said members to fall against the side of the car.

14. In a post pocket for freight cars of the gondola type, a U-shaped post-receiving member having the arms pivotally connected to the side wall of a car, a U-shaped strut having the base thereof pivotally connected to the base of said member, and means on said side wall for supporting the arms of said strut when said member is in post-receiving position, the arms of said strut being adapted to swing away from said means on removal of the post so as to permit said membersto fall. against the side of the car.

15. In a post pocket for freight cars of the gondola type, a U-shaped post-receiving member having the arms pivotally connected to the side wall of a car, a U-shaped strut having the base thereof pivotally connected to the base of said member, and outwardly extending projections on said side wall for supporting the arms of said strut when said member is in post-receiving position, said extension of said projections being such that, when the post-receiving member is raised by removing the post, the arms of said strut will be pulled clear thereof and permit the members .to fall against the side of the car.

16. A stake pocket for a freight car com-' prising a post-receiving member mounted on the side Wall of a car so as to hang in a plane parallel thereto and movable through an are so as to extend therefrom, and means cooperating with said member at a point distant from its mounting on said side wall for maintaining said member in'post-receiving position, said means being automatically released on removal of the post permitting said mem:

ber to fall against said side wall.

17. A collapsible post pocket for freight pivotally connected to the side wall of a car, a strut pivotally connected tosaid post-receiving member, and means on the side wall adapted to receive and support said strut when said member is in post-receiving position, said strut being adapted to swing away from said means on removal of the post so as to permit said member and strut to fall against the side of'the car.

19. In a post pocket for freight cars of the gondola type, a post-receiving member pivotally connected to the side wall of a car, a strut pivotally connected to said member, and projections on said side wall adapted to receive and support said strut when said member is in post-receiving position, the extension of said projections being such that, when the post-receiving member is raised on removal of the post, said strut will be pulled clear thereof and permit the member and strut to fall'against the side of the car.

20. A stake pocket'comprising a post-receiving member pivotally mounted on the side of a freight car and normally lying thereagainst, a member suspended from said postreceiving member and lugs projecting from the side of the car adapted to receive and support the free end of said-suspended member when the first-mentioned member has been raised to post-receiving position.

21. A collapsible post pocket for freight cars comprising in combination a post receiving member pivotally mounted to the side wall of said car, a supporting member pivotally secured to and suspended from said post receiving member, and means for receiving and supporting the free end of said suspended member when said first-mentioned member has been raised to'its post receiving position. 1

Intestimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 21st day of January,

HARRY T. ANDERSON.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION.

Patent No. 1,863,364. June 14, 1932.

HARRY T. ANDERSON.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 1, line 40, after the word "post" insert the word pocket; page 4, line 54, claim'l7, for "by" read to; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that th Signed and sealed this 4th day of Octoober, A. D. 1932.

M. J. Moore,

(Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

e same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office. 

